Should I stay or should I go? Living standards of serfs and peasants in 18th century Moscow

Russian serfdom is often compared to slavery, as both systems kept the majority of the population at subsistence levels (Acemoglu and Wolitzky 2011). Allen’s micro-level methodology, which compares living standards, provides a new approach to examining the economic conditions of the poorest groups. Recent research on slavery has shown significant declines in slave living standards, often below subsistence levels (Burnard, Panza and Williamson 2017). Yet, empirical evidence for this issues is limited. This study extends Allen’s approach to Russian serfs, analyzing whether it was more advantageous for them to farm semi-arable land or work as urban laborers in pre-industrial Moscow. Using archival data, I assess seasonal wages and purchasing power. The findings indicate that urban wages fell below agricultural income, and serfs had autonomy in economic choices, impacting both Moscow’s economy and rural households. This study underscores the importance of household life cycles and regional dynamics for broader economic trends